Lost and Found
by Autumn Dancer
Summary: Another tale from the crew of Serenity! But it's not quite what you think... The crew finds itself, once again, involved in a terrible, dramatic, romantic and infuriating adventure. Did I mention River gets a boyfriend?
1. Reavers in Newhall

**Lost and Found**

**Chapter One – Reavers in Newhall**

They came in packs. Small, individual ships; all swarming on our defenceless homes. What was I to do? We had close to no weapons, we lived on a border planet so far from those that were central, and had no connections to anywhere else. The creatures that killed my home were poor excuses for humans, and that is insulting every human being that's ever lived.

With fury beyond measures, even to their own mutilated faces, the creatures tore down our villages, did unspeakably horrid things to my people, and pulled me down by the collar and my ankles to make me watch. I couldn't help them; I'm far too young and could barely kill more than one at a time. My mother cried for mercy, my sisters screamed in fear. They called after me, the man of the house, hoping I would scare away the monsters. When the monsters had finished what they came for, they left me there on a stack of bodies. Well, if you classify those bodies.

So what was I to do when another pack was coming my way? Hide, and hope for mercy? That was doubtful. In a small village like mine, where was I to hide from them? The only thing I could do to stay alive, was to be one of them. It's the only choice I've got if I don't want the fate of my friends and family. Like the last pack I'd seen, I mutilated my face, tore off many of my clothing, spilt blood all over me, and then waited for the next monsters to come and save me from the hell that waited for me with such open doors.

'You killed him!' shrieked Inara.

'It was just a li'l bullet in the head... he deserved it anyway.'

'A bullet in the head which _killed _him!'

'That was just a side-effct.' Then, underneath his breath, he muttered, 'More of an added bonus, actually.'

'You are so heartless.'

'You'll know when I get heartless, 'Nara. When you see Reavers next, I'll show you heartless. That man was Alliance and you knew it,' roared Mal in reply. Inara had one hand on her hip and the other pointing an accusing finger at Mal's chest. Wearing a deep crimson pool of silk material that flowed down her slender body, she looked as beautiful as always.

'You had no evidence against him. You can't just go around _shooting_ innocent people who get on your _chwen_ nerves, Mal,' retorted Inara, still shrieking with rage. 'Now we're on the run from the law, petty thieves as usual, and all because you decided some guy was Alliance because he lived in the central planets. What is wrong with you?'

'I thought we agreed against the "petty thieves" when we pulled that little stunt with Saffron, your kissing buddy if you don't remember.'

'That _ri shao gou shi bing _gun doesn't even work, and that _joo bah jeh _is not my kissing buddy, Mal!' Inara, still full of anger, stormed off to the back of her shuttle where she lit some incense to calm herself down.

'Maybe you're right, but that don't mean the rest of the whole gorram 'verse ain't your kissing buddies,' Mal retorted, also walking off in a huff to the bridge where he found Wash playing with a few dinosaurs. 'Found any contact yet?' Mal asked roughly, trying to steam off a bit. Wash looked up, slightly startled, and then clicked a few buttons here and there.

'Nope, they're obviously too poor to afford communications,' Wash replied, stuffing his dinosaurs to the side.

'That can't be good for business, sir,' Zoe replied, walking up behind Mal and sitting on her husband's lap. 'This place don't look right, sir. Too empty and quiet,' Zoe continued. Mal raised his eyebrows at Zoe, and looked through the front screen of _Serenity_.

'Well a bit of peace and quiet never did us any harm, now did it?' Shepherd Book claimed as he strolled through the entrance looking purposeful. 'Mal, River is crying about demons from her past, Simon asked if you could come down.'

'Thanks, preacher,' Mal said. He left Book with Wash and Zoe, and went down to the infirmary where he expected to find River and Simon. River was in her favourite position: nears drawn up to her chin, arms wrapped around herself, rocking and murmuring. 'You called?' Mal said to Simon, giving River a pitiful look.

'I just wanted to know where it is exactly that we're landing,' Simon asked vaguely, still giving his sister injections to calm her down.

'The demons, scary demons... he is strong but lost... a lost little soul...' River looked up at them and, in all her distress, smiles. 'The hero has come...' But then it fades and she looks distressed again. 'They trouble the past... no mercy...' She clutches her head and screeches before beginning to whimper.

'Mal, I think she's trying to tell us something,' Simon told his captain.

'River,' Mal said soothingly and urgently, 'Where are the... demons? Are they Reavers, River? Are the demons in Newhall?' By showing her recognition of the word, River stopped screeching and rocking. Then a savage smile appeared across her face.

'We will be the hero's hero,' she said, as if this should please them, then she seemed upset again. 'A lost little soul... pretending to be what he's not...' Mal and Simon relaxed slightly, but Mal was frustrated that River could not give a straight answer.

'_Go neong yung duh!_ What is it you were saying about demons, River?' Mal demanded.

'It's no use, Mal,' Simon said. River began crying.

'I steal... can't stop stealing... they're not mine to take!' she cried. Simon rubbed her back and shooed Mal out. Mal went back up to the bridge and saw Wash getting ready to park _Serenity_ in Newhall, where they would hopefully find some business.

'Wash, River was sayin' something about gorram Reavers. How's this rock lookin', seeing anythin'... suspicious?' Mal asked Wash.

'There's movement, not much though,' Wash replied, 'No Reaver ship, and it's too high up to tell much else...'

'Reavers, sir?' Zoe said doubtfully. 'Perhaps they've already gone and left.'

'But there's movement down there, and Reavers don't ever leave survivors,' Mal said. 'Unless the survivors are poor people who were forced to watch as their families died, in which case, they've probably turned Reaver themselves. How good is your vision on the houses?'

'Too high up, sir,' Wash replied.

'Got a problem, Cap'n?' Kaylee asked as she entered the bridge.

'Apparently not – yet. How's the... mechanical stuff?'

'Shiny, Cap'n, ready to go,' she said, wiping her hands together proudly.

'Let's park this thing then, Wash,' Mal ordered. Wash nodded and they went zooming towards the ground. Once they broke atmo, they could properly see the houses. '_Ai yah tien ah... jen dao mei!_ They're running about the place like...' River strolled in and finished his sentence.

'They're ants in a nest, you shmoosh them and _pop_!' River declared dreamily, laughing vaguely at her own joke. She frowned next, 'But ants don't join other ants, they leave them stranded.' Simon came rushing up behind her and grabbed her by the shoulders.

'Don't go running away like that,' he said sternly. Her frown wiped away and she ran back down the stairs. Simon rolled his eyes and chased after her, Kaylee following him curiously.

'This place don't seem right, sir, everyone seems to be running about the place,' Zoe informed Mal with the obvious. 'And I'm not includin' River.'

'Can you turn this boat 'round, Wash?' Mal asked him.

'Too late, we've already broken atmo. We'll have to go lower down and then turn around.' Mal sighed and swore in Chinese. 'Do you want me to park it and see what everyone down there is running about the place for, or turn around the first moment possible?' Mall glanced down as far as he could see.

'Those people ain't right,' he mumbled to himself. 'No one runs about the place like that unless they're running from somethin'.'

'How can we be sure they're not Reavers, sir?' Zoe asked.

'We can't,' Mal replied. 'But if they are, where's their ship and why are there so little of them?'

'Can't say, sir. But I assume they were perhaps stranded, as River so... vaguely suggested,' Zoe replied.

'I'm almost ready to turn 'round,' Wash declared impatiently.

'No, if they're people then we should see what all the fuss is about and if they're Reavers,' Mal paused, 'we should do the world some good and take 'em out.'

'No objections sir, but they _are _Reavers,' Mal's second said, her usual obedient self although she may disagree with one of her captain's choices.

'Well, if they are then that means they're stranded like you, and I suppose River, said. Not too many of them, we can probably manage,' he said, although still doubting the words he spoke.

'Nah uh. I ain't goin' down there and killing myself just 'cause those poor Reavers are all alone!' Wash objected. Mal ignored him and went to the intercom.

'All crew report to the cargo bay,' Mal ordered. _'Immediately.' _Then he turned to his pilot. 'Stay here and report everything that you can see. Get yourself some weapons, too. Those are definitely Reavers.' Wash nodded and Mal and Zoe headed down to the cargo bay. Inara, Jayne, Kaylee, Simon, River and Book were all waiting in the cargo bay, looking uncertain about how they should be feeling. Mal's order seemed so urgent, they were all concerned that the news Mal would share with them wasn't good. 'Seems we got ourselves in a mite little trouble with Reavers,' Mal began, clutching his belt like he always did. The crew let out audible gasps. 'Not many, though. We're not running away, we're going to stay and fight.' It seemed everyone protested against this but River and Zoe.

'I don't me any disrespect, Mal, but have you gone _mad_?' said Simon.

'We'll die, there's no way we could possibly beat them!' screeched Kaylee.

'I ain't goin' out there an' killin' maself so that you can feel good 'bout yaself!' Of course, from Jayne. Mal rolled his eyes as more protests rolled along.

'Mal, I agree, you can't just go out there and kill yourself, thus destroying any chances the rest of the crew have,' Inara said. Everyone agreed and continued with their own objections.

'_Bizui!' _the captain yelled. Silence instantly fell upon them. 'There can't be any more than a dozen to thirty out there,' Mal continued. 'And for some reason they don't have a ship. Jayne, Zoe, Simon and I will be enough to take 'em all out.' Before Simon could disapprove aloud of his selection to help kill Reavers; River cut in, typically.

'They flew in from nowhere, a message from hell punishing us for our sins. Screaming... so much screaming...' River sat down cross-legged as she spoke. 'Screaming and blood, ignored. They just went on... more and more, they swarmed the souls like bees... _buz, buz, buz_.'

'Lock her up somewhere with preacher and Inara,' Mal ordered to Simon. Simon nodded. Inara was going to argue that she could be of use, but then decided it was no use with her stubborn captain. 'Jayne,' Jayne scowled at Mal fiercely when he spoke his name, 'bring the grenades.' Jayne nodded and slightly grinned, forgetting that he was prepared to kill his captain less than a moment ago.

There was a bang and a shutter as _Serenity_ parked. Instantly, the Reavers crowded and began attempting to climb on _Serenity_. Climbing out from the top air vent on the roof of the ship, Jayne and Simon shot down the Reavers with rifles. Jayne was talking a nervous Simon through it as they went. They could see down below them Zoe and Mal were going crazy with adrenaline, as if Mal enjoyed this sort of action (as if they were in the war again). Jayne hollered down to them, 'GRENADE INCOMING!' Zoe and Mal stood aside and almost exactly at that moment the grenade landed and the Reavers were blown back.

'Is that the lot of 'em?' Mal called to Jayne, who could see everything from up above.

'Jus' about,' he said. 'Look 'round a bit more, jus' in case.' As if the side of the ship were a bumpy slide, Jayne slid down it and next to Zoe and Mal who were doing the gruesome job of making sure the Reavers were dead. ''S lucky there weren't that many, 'ey?' he grunted, pushin his gun into his holster.

'How'd Simon go?' Mal asked. Jayne looked up but Simon had climbed back into the ship.

'_Tian di wu yohn,' _he grumbled. 'Kid knows 'ow to shoot a gun at least.'

'Get the others Zoe; we'll have to search every village on this rock, jus' t' make sure they're all wiped out,' the captain ordered his second. 'We're not leaving until every single one of these pieces of _da shiong la se la ch'wohn tian _is _dead_. If you can, get River out here to check it out.'

'Sir, you know how she reacts to Reavers,' Zoe warned.

'Get her _tian di wu yohn _brother to not be so damn useless anymore, then,' Mal replied. Zoe nodded and walked into the preacher's quarters where she found River, Inara and Shepherd Book. Somehow she managed to convince them to come and help them with the Reaver and the civilians' bodies – even River came, babbling on about something about finding a new soul, lost but not broken.

They searched for survivors for hours, Book giving the final blessings to the deceased. He entered a small shack, it was dark and quiet. The only light came from the windows and the open door, and inside it Book found a violated and ruined body of a girl no older than seven. The sight made tears well in his eyes, but he crouched in front of her nonetheless and spoke his holy words. Suddenly, he heard shallow breathing behind him.

'Don't touch her!' a boy hissed, his voice hoarse and cracked. The preacher could not see the young child that spoke to him, hidden in the corner beneath the shadows of a low table. When Book did not shift his position, the boy snapped again, '_Ta me de_, don't touch her!' This time, hearing the desperation in the kid's voice, Book took a step closer to the front door. He was sure it couldn't be a Reaver, but there was no way the kid could have escaped Reavers by merely hiding beneath a table. Perhaps, he thought, he is like the poor man on the colony ship that was forced to watch as his family were raped, tortured and killed. But how could he still be so sane as to order him not to touch the young girl that was beyond repair?

'Tell me, child, what is your name?' Book asked, a tone of pity in his voice. He heard the shuffle of movement but no rely came.

'_Help me,' _he whispered hoarsely. _'Ai yah tien ah...' _Then he heard more movement, and from the sound of it the kid beneath the table had collapsed. Without bothering to call upon the others, Book rushed forward and dragged out the kid's body. Examining his features, the preacher could not suppress a gasp of horror. It was a boy, no older than sixteen, with mutilations in his face like he'd only ever seen on those of Reavers. He wore the traditional clothing of a Reaver... yet, the way he'd spoken, he seemed a perfectly normal, distressed child. How could it be? The child that begged for help, a Reaver?

No, it couldn't be. Something was extremely wrong with this image, Book decided. The kid was unconscious and injured, not only from his self-injuries, but it seemed he was bruised and beaten by, Book guessed, other Reavers. He, being a man of mercy and forgiveness, could not just leave a kid dying in a village full of the dead – no matter what he appeared to be. The words that the preacher had just heard escaping from the kid's lips were no deceiving lies or trickery, he knew what he'd heard was nothing but pure innocence. He assumed the girl he'd been asked not to disturb was his younger sister, which showed that the kid could still feel hope and love for his family. But would Mal, his stubborn and confusing captain, agree with the holy man? How could Book possibly persuade Mal to take in a _Reaver? _Especially when the kid was unconscious, so no one was to know how he'd wake up.

Then it was decided; he was not to tell Mal until further, personal analysis. He would nurture and care for the kid like a preacher would treat any other child, and would patiently wait, hoping that his captain did not find out and decide the fate of the poor, lost boy before he could.

**By the way, I have a strange way of updating my chapters. three days after the day that I get the first review for one of my chapters, I will update a new one. For example, if you are the first person to review one of my chapters, and you did it on, say, a Tursday, three days after, on Saturday, I will get the next chapter up. If you review on a Sunday, then you'll get your chapter up on Tuesday. Sorry for any inconvenience, it's just the most simple and convenient way, for me, to update and also a way to encourage me to write.**

**I know it sounds lame and pathetic, but I DO get ENCOURAGED and INSPIRED to write more when I have more reviews. It's true.**


	2. Music to my Ears

**Disclaimer: I just realised that I forgot to do the traditional Fanfiction "disclaimer" at the beginning of each of my stories. Well, just in case you guys didn't already notice, I do not own Firefly or Serenity, nor any characters/stories/planets that may come with it. But I do own this particular plot and would appreciate at it if you didn't steal it. I would also highly appreciate if you left reviews for it and didn't send flames, although I do accept them, I prefer not to get them. **

**What happened in the last chapter – the crew of Serenity fought and won against the Reavers they found in Kangox, are left, as usual, without a job... but secretly the preacher, Shepherd Book, is hiding away a kid who is traumatised by what the Reavers left behind. The boy has not yet awoken, so Book has yet to decide whether he reacts to this traumatisation by becoming a Reaver or by simply falling beyond the measures of insanity – rather like River. **

**A vague insight into the following chapter – Inara finds out about Book's secret and tells Mal. How does Mal react? **

---

**Chapter 2 – Music to my Ears **

---

Kaylee rested her head against the awkward doctor's shoulder. The night before she'd come down with a terrible temperature and had been given some medication – but what she really wanted was some company. Stuck in the engine room all day long or doing other various jobs for her captain, the poor girl never got much time to just _chill out._

Of course, she'd fallen asleep while having a dull conversation with Simon, which left the uncertain doctor even more uncertain. A beautiful girl who he cared for so much, practically giving herself to him by resting on his warm body, and all he could do was sit their nervously and say nothing. Even if he attempted at speech we'd fail miserably; talking to girls wasn't one of his specialities. River came prancing in, noticeably happier than she'd been recently, and smiled to see her brother, apparently unaware of his blushing. 'He was a bird taken from his nest, stripped of his feathers, but now he is slowly learning to fly again,' she assured Simon, as if he knew exactly what she was talking about. Then, with extraordinary grace, she danced, skipped and sang her way past the catwalk and found Mal arguing over something in Inara's shuttle. River strolled in and seemed gazed by all the angriness. Inara stopped immediately when she saw River, but Mal barely noticed and went on ranting about something like the crew's safety.

'I look after me and mine just fine, thank you very much,' he snapped. He opened his mouth to argue even more, probably to say something like "if you don't like how I run this boat, then get off it!" but was fortunately interrupted by Wash on the speaker Com.

'Got a wave for you, Mal,' Wash told his captain. 'From Patience.' Mal closed his mouth, opened it, and closed it again. He turned on his heel and, just as he was about to leave, added a friendly comment to conclude his and Inara's argument.

'We'll continue this later.'

'Can't wait,' Inara bitterly hissed. After Mal had walked across the catwalk, Inara turned to River and a look of tenderness mostly took over her frustration. But the smile she gave the young girl was slightly forced and River knew it. 'Is there something you wanted, _meimei?' _Inara asked River roughly. River shook her head and cautiously stepped outside the shuttle before scurrying away. Inara sighed; she'd even managed to upset and possibly _frighten _the poor girl.

---

As the boy slept, he stirred and moved around uncomfortably, moaning from time to time. Kneeling beside him, Shepherd Book prayed not only for the boy's safety, but for his own sake.

'Tell me Lord, was it wrong of me to keep a secret so wrong from Mal?' whispered the preacher, plainly confused by his actions. Opening his eyes, he realised he needed to approach the situation differently. Asking God whether what he did was wrong or not was pointless as he was unmistakably aware of the answer; what he needed to was beg for his own forgiveness. So, cupping his hands back into shape so that he could formally pray, the preacher did what most would do at a Confession.

There was a knock on the door that disrupted Book's moment of holiness. 'Who is it?' he called.

'Inara, I just wanted to know if you were hungry, you haven't left your quarters all morning and last night,' she replied in her usual soft, peaceful voice. Shepherd Book stood up quickly and shuffled 'round the room towards the ladder that lead up to the hallway where more quarters laid.

'No, I'm fine, thank you anyway,' the preacher said.

'But you haven't eaten for so long!' exclaimed Inara, puzzled as to why anyone would not want to eat in a perfectly healthy state of being.

'He is busy teaching the flower to bloom again,' insisted River, who'd been acting strange yet joyful all day – not that she wasn't always a bit strange in the head, but recently the metaphors she constantly recited had all been oddly familiar, as if she was always referring to one thing in particular.

'That's nice honey,' said Inara. Book heard the footsteps of River as she pranced towards the galley to eat some breakfast, when he finally made up his mind. Opening the hatch, he insisted that Inara enter. She did so, reluctantly in her long, flowing robes. 'What is it, Preacher?' she wondered aloud before turning and having a sudden and abrupt inhalation of breath. Unable to speak, she subconsciously took a slow, unsteady motion towards the bed in which the injured Reaver boy lay. The creaking and moaning from the hatch as Shepherd Book shut it brought Inara back to life. Speaking in an unusually low tone, she hissed hoarsely, 'What is this?'

'A young child I found hiding in a corner of a room in Newhall,' said the preacher simply. 'I didn't think to tell anybody else, afraid of what they might think of him from his... well, I think you can understand why I was afraid to tell the captain – and Jayne.'

'A young child? Can't you see that this boy is a Reaver?'

'I couldn't just leave him there, 'Nara. He was talking to me, asking me to treat his sister's dead body with care. Where is the Reaver in that?' The preacher's voice was sympathetic and full of compassion.

Inara sighed in defeat. Then, startling Shepherd Book slightly, she said bitterly, 'Of course, Mal would be too heartless to see the reasoning in this particular issue. I understand where you're coming from, Book, but you can't keep a crew member from the captain, no matter how unofficial the member may be.' Book hung his head in shame, once again begging for his forgiveness silently. Seeing the hurt in his eyes, Inara placed a gentle, warm hand on his shoulder. 'Don't feel bad, it was the right thing to do at the time,' she assured him. He laughed sardonically.

'Coming from you that means,' he thought about this, 'close to nothing at all.' She smiled nonetheless, genuinely caring.

'I'll tell Mal,' she decided without even discussing the matter.

'No, I don't want him getting angry at you for something that you had no say in.'

'Getting angry at me? I don't think he could possibly get any angri_er_ at me.' Inara laughed, but the preacher knew all too well that it was a laugh full of grief and pain. However, the (fake) laugh quickly surrendered when the Reaver boy began moaning and shivering violently. _God knows what's going through his head_, thought Inara, frowning with deep concern. 'We need to get him to the doctor, I'm afraid he may have some wounds to heal on that scarred face of his.'

'I fear he may have some unhealable wounds on that poor heart and soul of his,' said the preacher sorrowfully. 'When would it be best to tell Mal?'

'Now, I suppose, is as good as any,' Inara shrugged as she spoke, before crawling back up the ladder and to the galley where Mal was having an animated conversation with Zoe and Wash.

'Just sayin' sir,' Zoe assured him for what seemed to Inara as the millionth time.

'Wait, we are talking about the same Patience here, right?' Wash said to Mal uncertainly. 'The one that shot you once and unsuccessfully attempted at your life when she failed to take it the first time?' Mal rolled his eyes, clutching his thumbs on his belt as he always did. 'You don't seriously believe she doesn't hold a grudge against you for escaping both times, do you Captain?'

'Unless you have a better idea for some way to feed nine hungry stomachs,' Mal retorted, 'then Patience it is.' Grabbing her chance, Inara spoke up for the first time.

'Make that a crew of ten hungry stomachs,' she announced. Everyone portrayed bewildered expressions. She took a step further into the galley. 'Mal, there's something you'd better know.' Subconsciously biting her lip, Inara braced herself for what was to come next.

'Do continue, I'm shivering with anticipation,' he drawled in a sarcastic monotone. She glared at him before gathering herself up again.

'Before the flight from Newhall, Shepherd Book and I – er – _discovered... _something,' she began slowly and sternly. 'A young boy, no older than fifteen or sixteen. He was begging the preacher to treat his sister with care whilst he gave her his final blessings. We couldn't leave him there, it was too wrong. But, for some reason, the boy is, well, he _looks _like a Reaver –' Mal opened his mouth to say something, but she talked even quicker so that he could not, '– but he's definitely not one – we think. The two of us carried the injured and traumatised child back onto _Serenity _and since then have been keeping him safe and taking care of him in Shepherd Book's quarters. We didn't tell you because we thought you wouldn't give the poor kid any chances.' Mal's mouth had fell open, positively gaping at the words escaping Inara's mouth. He stammered at a sentence, but faltered. Recollecting himself, his rage began to build up rapidly.

'You kept – a _Reaver? _– didn't tell me – on board _Serenity?_' he stumbled with the words that he wanted to yell at her. '_JUH SHI SHUH MO GO DOHNG SHEE? _WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? HOW COULD YOU JUST EXPECT ME TO LET A_ REAVER_ ON BOARD _SERENITY? _DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WAT YOU'VE DONE?'

'Please Mal, you're scaring River,' Inara mockingly and courageously retorted. His fists were clenched and his teeth were grinding together, screeching like metal.

'Don't blame it on her, the idea was all mine,' claimed the preacher as he entered the galley to find the fight taking place. 'I brought the boy in an insisted that we shouldn't tell you.'

'We both agreed that you were too heartless to give a damn about the dying child,' Inara declared. This brought back one of the more recent arguments between Inara and Mal, making him yet still more furious.

'Could everyone stop pointing this back to me?! This is about the Reaver that you two smuggled in and offered _my _hospitality right under _my _nose!' Mal defensively pointed out.

'They did tell you that it wasn't a Reaver, sir,' reminded Zoe, always the one to have a cool head in sticky situations. 'But I agree, what you two did was wrong. Although I understand what you were thinking when you did it.' Mal turned vehemently to his second, outraged that she was disagreeing with him and taking "their side".

'Is this some sort of conspiracy against me?' he hollered in all his fury. By then Simon, Kaylee, River and Jayne had come to see what all the fuss was about – although River obviously already knew. Frantically and pointlessly, Mal waved his arms about the place to release some energy and to somehow attempt at depicting how very cross he was with his crew.

'What's the trouble 'bout?' Jayne asked, curiously poking his head through the doorway. After explaining the news to the rest of the crew, Inara tried to convince everyone how wrong they were about the situation. Jayne was persistent that they kill 'im, right then and there. 'Where is the li'l bugger, then?' Jayne demanded.

'You think I'd tell you after you just threatened to kill him without another word on the matter? _Huen Dahn_...' Inara muttered under her breath but deliberately loud enough for Jayne to hear. He lifted his arm to blow her across his head, but Mal grabbed him just in time to twist it 'round, forcing him to crumble to the floor. Inara poked her tongue – she never had before, but Jayne was an exception.

_'BIZUI!' _yelled Mal over everyone's protests and arguments, everyone but the preacher, Zoe and River. River had been smiling and dancing, Zoe standing her ground beside Mal, and Shepherd Book praying for peace. Now everyone silenced, even the preacher, and stared at their captain. 'You sound like a flock of crazy birds!' he added.

'Flying in all their freedom, teaching the newcomer to fly with them,' exclaimed River, while beginning to dance freely again. 'Through the air, soaring until the birds need rest.' Mal shook his head in irritation; now was _not _the time _meimei_.

'River, maybe you should go rest for a while,' Simon suggested, taking his sister by the shoulder. She looked at him seriously.

'But with broken wings, he cannot be taught to fly straight away. He will need proper mending, a place to grow back into a bird so that he can soar with us.' She frowned, and Simon eyebrows were furrowing deeply while merging into one.

'Captain, I think my _meimei _may be referring to the Reaver boy,' Simon said quietly, 'She has been consistently speaking of someone who is broken and needs to be helped, or someone who is lost after the "demons" came. This could be what she's been trying to tell us. It's all got to do with the Reaver boy.'

'Could everyone please stop calling him "the Reaver boy",' Inara cried out, also frustrated. 'He's just a _kid_.' Naturally, everyone ignored her requests.

'Okay, so we know what River has been trying to tell us. Although it would have been better if your smart little brain had worked it out sooner, considering the only world we're near now is Whitefall. Not to mention, _Inara already told me_,' Mal retorted. Without realising, Simon shrunk in his position. Kaylee put a hand on his shoulder.

'Don't listen to him, he's just a _kuh-ooh duh lao bao jurn_,' Kaylee assured Simon. He half smiled.

'Why is everyone against me? What did I do? _Inara _is the one who just told you that _she _secretly kept a _Reaver _on board _Serenity_!' Mal cried, pulling out some of his hair. 'Could we please act like we're over five-years-old and discuss this issue _like human beings_?' He knew he was being hypocritical since a few minutes ago he was shouting his head off and swearing incoherently.

'I think it'd be best you and Simon personally examine the Reaver boy so as to make the decision yourself, sir,' Zoe spoke up for the first time in a while.

'He's not a Reaver!' shrieked Inara, although she had no sufficient evidence to back that up.

'I know that! Just try and convince Mal,' Zoe whispered. Inara rolled her eyes and slouched on one of the table chairs, exhausted from all the yelling and shouting that had at last ended. Mal nodded at Zoe's suggestion, and, dragging Simon along by the upper arm, he went down to Shepherd Book's quarters.

---

Mal knew what the right thing to do was. He just couldn't bring himself to admit it seen as he was so stubborn. Not to mention upset and hurt that Inara _and _Shepherd Book had both agreed he was a heartless man who wouldn't care for a child, traumatised by his past. Inara obviously didn't know him very well.

But he did think it was stupid of him to try and wake the boy up. Since then he'd been screaming and begging imaginary creatures to not hurt him or his family. River didn't see this as anything out of the ordinary, but she enjoyed comforting him in the infirmary where he'd been moved, and occasionally murmuring with him or rocking back and forth, clutching her head. It seemed that her emotional state reflected his, which wasn't good. Still, she didn't see it as something abnormal or odd. Then again, what did he expect? She wasn't exactly his idea of normalcy.

Mal had promised the pleading Inara and Kaylee that he was to let the kid stay until _full_ recovery. That is, assuming that he did recover in the end. Whenever he thought of this he glanced at River and imagined what it would be like if "recovery" was really as simple as it sounded.

'Something bothering you, sir?' Zoe asked him one day while he was watching River learn how to play Go Fish, the card game, with Kaylee. Slightly startled, Mal turned 'round to see his second standing beside him, wearing her usual clothing similar to his own.

'Have you checked up on the Reaver kid?' he replied, ignoring her question completely. Although everyone had made it clear that he was not yet a Reaver, merely a troubled kid, it was a sufficient nickname for him whilst they knew no real birth name.

'No, sir, I do believe that's the doc's job.' Mal nodded and headed off to the infirmary where the kid, sleeping quietly for once, lay sweating. It wasn't that hot, so the captain guessed he was going through some sort of nightmare or something.

'Anythin' out o' the ordinary?' Mal asked Simon, who'd just entered.

'No, but I check regularly. Usually River manages to get some sense into him when he starts screaming or violently shaking. The shaking could be from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but if I just had his medical records...' Seeing that Mal was uninterested, Simon shut up. Mal took a step closer. 'River says he's frightened to wake up. Something about "longing to be free from reality".'

'How poetic,' Mal grumbled. The boy began saying things louder and louder until he went back to his screaming.

River waltzed in right then. She smiled at the others, and then turned to look at her new sleeping buddy. She exclaimed, 'Screaming is merely the beginning of a new beat in life's musical tunes.'

'Yeah, it's real music to my damned ears,' muttered the captain. River gave him a look that resented him. Zoe walked in at that moment. River sat down on a chair Simon had placed beside the bed and took the boy by the hand.

'He is still in the woods, but has found a campfire nearby,' she explained to them in her usual what-I'm-saying-has-obvious-meaning voice. The kid's eyes flickered opened but the screaming did not terminate. Eventually, with Simon, Zoe, Mal and River crowded around him, the kid coughed and opened his eyes properly, staring at the others with eyes wide with fear. 'He needs room to spread his wings,' River commanded the others. They moved back as she said.

'What's your name, kid?' Mal asked him. The kid, whose face was scarred from the removal of all the things he'd shoved into it, turned his head slightly to look at the owner of the voice. He winced from the movement, but did not look away. His eyes threatened to roll back and his body collapse into unconsciousness again. All anyone could make out for a reply was, _'Hero...' _

'Yeah, real big, damn hero, I'm sure,' Zoe mumbled under her breath.


	3. The Lost Boy meets the Broken Girl

**This chapter is short... I know and I apologise. I promise the next one will be longer. I just wanted this one short to add the emphasis of the conversation and the meeting.**

**IN THE LAST CHAPTER: the boy woke up.**

**THIS CHAPTER: River and "Hero" have a conversation.**

---**  
Chapter 3 – The Lost Boy meet the Broken Girl**

"Hero" turned out to be crazy from traumatisation. He was a River, not a Reaver. Shepherd Book was right to believe in the boy, and although the kid was not entirely stable, at least he wasn't a Reaver. Zoe and Mal were still unsure, but agreed that he stay with them until he recovered – as long as he didn't get in the way and did as he was told. In fact, Mal even considered it useful that they have an extra pair of strong hands about. It was the part where he hand an extra mouth and stomach that needed fillin' that concerned him most – oh, and that's ignoring the fact that he was a bit _coo-coo_. _Now that's the understatement of the year_, thought the captain.

Since the day that the kid had woken up and shared his name with the rest of crew, he'd not stirred one bit unless he was creaming, which he did most of the time. When he did scream, River would go into the infirmary where he lay and would sit beside him, occasionally speaking to him softly while holding his hand. Once, when Simon had been able to just hear one of their one-way conversations, he'd heard her begging him to stop screaming. She'd told him, very seriously, that it upset her to see him so distraught. Some things about his sister, he would never understand. Some things, he was afraid, he didn't want to.

---

It had been a week since the kid, Norihio was his real name River discovered, had last regained his consciousness. The night before, while River lay awake on her bed, she noticed Norihio was not having a nightmare. Fearing that he may have died, River rushed to the infirmary in her nightgown, only to find a pleasantly sleeping boy gradually drifting into reality for the first time in a while. Knowing that it would not be long before he awoke, she stayed next to him until she, too, fell into slumber.

---

When he did awake from some dreadful nightmare, Norihiro found that he was in a small, glass room, full of white shelving and several medical resources lying about the place. He didn't know where he was. He was also plainly unaware of who the beautiful, young girl holding his hand was. However, he had seen her small face before... 'So it wasn't a dream, after all...' he whispered. He began rocking back and forth so to comfort himself. Touching his face gingerly, he discovered how very painful it had become to not only touch his own face, but moving his arm in general.

Blinking back tears of agony, he observed the lady beside him. Her lips were plump, her cheeks rosy and full of life which, with her dark, chocolate brown hair, caused a pleasant contrast with her pale white skin. Including her fit and slender body, her appearance just shone with radiant youth. There was no doubt about it: she was the angel displayed in his more recent dreams.

'Oh, please, you're making me blush,' whispered the woman in a low voice. Norihiro, better known as "Hero" on _Serenity_, jumped back, obviously startled. 'Don't be frightened, I am the River, I flow with emotions and understand them as men do movement,' she assured him simply, confusing him even more.

'I'm Norihiro, but I don't have much time. I must find my mother and family before a terrible fate can fall upon them,' he cried, suddenly aware that if she were real, then so were the demons from his nightmares. The "angel" stood up hastily yet gracefully nonetheless, and covered his mouth with her gentle, warm hands before he could shout anymore. She gave him a stern look, which was surprisingly frightening. Then, when she saw that she'd gotten the message through, she explained. 'You mustn't wake the caterpillars. They are still in their cacoons and have yet to become butterflies so they can fly with S_erenity_again.' Assuming that she was being metaphorical, Norihiro nodded his head, gazed by her oddness. Watching as she stared dreamily, he noticed something forced about her smile, although it was still beautiful as ever. It was as if she was struggling to remain calm, trying desperately to stay in touch with reality. The smile wiped away when she began twitching and she pulled her knees up to her chin where she wrapped her arms around them. Little did he know, she was actually struggling to ignore the voices in her head. Randomly, she began murmuring something in a low voice at a rapid pace. Leaning in closer to understand what she was saying, River looked up at Norihiro with eyes full of an emotion he knew only too well as sympathy. 'Such a lonely child. Always lonely... never quite the same. But now – not lonely but lost. Far from home in a new place with new people. An eagle amongst butterflies and one, one broken doll.' It didn't take her long to concentrate on her rapid mutterings again. The last the she murmured coherently before the door swung open was, 'They took what wasn't there's to take.'

---

**IN THE NEXT CHAPTER: Mal's job with Patience.**


	4. Business is Business

**Sorry it took so long to update. I've been so busy with school and stuff... gosh life is so TIRESOME. Enjoy...**

**IN THE LAST CHAPTER: River met Nori.**

**IN THIS CHAPTER: Mal does business with Patience.**

**IN THE NEXT CHAPTER: the flaw in the plan.**

---

**Chapter 4 – Business is Business**

---

'You sure, sir?' Zoe asked. 'She did try to shoot you twice.'

'Why does everyone keep mentioning that?' Mal exclaimed. 'It was just a bit of... miscommunications. That 's'all.'

'It's your choice, sir,' said Zoe obediently. 'But I still don't trust her.'

'She's just a woman.'

'That the whole of Whitefall worship like a goddess.'

'That don't make her one.'

'Has she spoken to you about the job?'

'Says it's confidential, can't talk over the intercom.'

'Don't sound right, sir.'

'Have you spoken to Simon 'bout Hero yet?' Mal changed the subject, instead thinking of the kid they'd rescued that woke up occasionally. Zoe shook her head.

'Somethin' 'bout that kid don't seem right, sir.'

'Nothin' seems right 'bout that kid, Zoe. But you can't blame him, watchin' his family die an' all. Ain't his fault. Besides, River and the doc' are takin' good care of 'im. 'E'll be better in no time.'

'That's not entirely true,' Simon stated as he walked from the catwalk into the cargo bay where Zoe and Mal were sharing their opinions just a moment ago. 'I believe he has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, better known as shellshock in Earth-That-Was. People get it after returning from war or from living in traumatising conditions. Some recovered instantly, some never did. It depends on the person.'

'I didn' get it an' I went to war,' Mal retorted. 'Saw people dyin' 'round me 24/7.'

'And look how you turned out,' Simon hummed, strolling away to the infirmary. Mal shouted something back to him, some defensive insult no doubt, but he didn't listen.

As per usual, River was sitting beside Norihiro as he cried in a human ball sort of shape. She watched him partially from curiosity and partially from sympathy. 'Perhaps you should let him be, _meimei_,' Simon suggested to his younger sister. She looked over to him and shook her head solemnly. Since he'd saved her from the Alliance he'd learnt not to argue with her sometimes confusing and odd decisions.

'He needs healing,' she replied, looking back towards him compassionately. 'On the inside and out.'

'I know, _meimei_, I know.'

'They held her down by the arms,' Norihiro informed the two people. 'I begged for their pity, but they have no mercy... Stop, please stop!' He dug his face into his knees and balled his eyes out. Simon stood beside him and patted his back.

'It's alright, Hero,' he reassured him for the millionth time. Norihiro grabbed his arm and pulled Simon closer, forcing the doctor to stumble a bit. He looked straight into his eyes and held him there before speaking again.

'I didn't have a choice, I knew it was wrong,' he admitted as if what he were telling a secret about a terrible crime committed. Loosening his grip on Simon's sore wrist, he looked back at his knees. 'They would have killed me, too.' He was speaking surprisingly coherently, unlike the other times where he mumbled and screamed the words he wanted to come out to everyone except River.

'To live you had to pretend to be what you're not,' River dreamily stated. Simon looked over at her from the opposite side of Norihiro's human ball, and saw her gazing into space like she often did those days. He thought of what the Alliance did to her, what they might have done that he just didn't know about. Which was worse? The Reavers, or the torture?

Rocking back and forth, something Simon had seen far too many times from River, Norihiro vaguely told them of things that they did. Apparently when Reavers got bored they hurt each other. _That explains the cuts and bruises on his body__ and the reason why so many of the Reavers were dead_, Simon thought. _But it doesn't explain why there wasn't a space ship in Newhall when _Serenity _arrived._

'They don't wait for the others, they are not a family like us. First in, best dressed.' River explained, answering Simon's silent question. How did she always do that?

Simon was slightly surprised to see that River said such an old metaphor, some people even rumoured that it derived from Earth-That-Was. 'Every man for himself,' River persisted.

'River, Reavers aren't men,' the captain, who was leaning on the doorframe, told River. She looked at him and she looked suddenly scared. As she brushed past him to return to her own quarters, she whispered something incoherently.

_'It was the __Pax__...'_

---

'Lading in three... two... ONE!' Wash announced to Mal, who was leaning on his chair while Zoe sat on her husband's lap.

'Mal?' Inara called. Mal turned around, brows raised.

'Thought we weren't on speakin' terms,' Mal said.

'May I talk to you, Mal?' She ignored his comment.

'That is, assuming we're not already talking, right?' Inara lead him to the galley where they sat at the small wooden table with mismatching chairs. 'What is it, 'Nara?'

'I want to go with you,' she said, 'if I can't get a job on this rock and therefore can't pay you for rent, then I must contribute to this ship somehow. Besides, I think it will be best if you had someone like me when you're dealing with Patience, again.'

'Do you, now? Why's that?'

'I can read people. I can... distract people,' suggested Inara hopefully.

'You go out there you got a 50/50 chance of gettin' shot,' Mal reminded her.

'I think she'll be more focused on you, Mal.'

'True.'

'I'm decent with a gun and I can protect myself, anyway.' Inara then added, 'And if she needs work done, I'm a good enough worker.'

'Yeah, I can just see you dealin' with her sorta stuff in your favourite pink gown.'

'Don't mock me, Mal. I need a way to contribute, and I believe this is best.'

'Do you? In that case, feel free. Just stay close to Zoe,' Mal paused and said as an afterthought, 'and far from Jayne.' Inara smiled.

'Thank you, Mal. I know it's hard for you to knowingly put your crew in risk of danger or harm.'

'You have no idea.' Standing up, Mal returned to the bridge and Inara to her shuttle. On the 'com, Mal declared, 'We're now in Whitefall and I'd appreciate it if Jayne, Zoe and 'Nara met me in the cargo bay. Kaylee, Wash, Preacher, stay here an' guard _Serenity_, Patience may be thinkin' of a mutiny against me. Simon, get the infirmary prepared, just as a precaution.' Then he added, 'And Simon, keep your li'l sis' outta trouble.' Strolling down to the cargo bay where he met Zoe, Jayne and Inara waiting for him, Mal smiled. His third encounter with Patience was about to begin.

---

They met Patience in a deserted place that had flat ground. If she were planning an ambush, it would be extremely difficult. Maybe, just maybe, she was actually doing honest business with Mal. 'Patience,' Mal greeted her. 'My crew were uncertain 'bout meetin' you here, considerin' you've tried killin' me twice. Not very good for your reputation in my boat, you know.'

'I can imagine.' Patience bitterly replied, looking very frustrated about something. _Perhaps she's angry she can't shoot me again_, Mal thought hopefully. 'I think you killin' all my men sorta called for a truce, don't you?'

'I'd say yes, but one can never trust people like you.'

'If you didn't trust me what are you doin' down here on this godforsaken _ri__shao__gou__shi__bing_?'

'Oh, you know me, always lookin' for the best in people.'

'I'm sure.' The two looked each other for a few moments, both scowling for their own reasons.

'Did we come to do business or was I mistaken?' Zoe piped in. Mal smiled and nodded his head, one eyebrow raised patiently.

'Of course, you always get straight to the point, Zoe,' Patience stated. Three of her men shifted nervously behind her. 'I got a lot of money I'm willin' to give y'all if you can deliver some people to me, alive.'

'Who would this certain someone be, then?' Mal asked suspiciously.

'That don't matter, just bring me 'im and 'is li'l whore.' She seemed firmly and demandingly, yet deep down Inara could tell she was desperate, especially to be coming to Mal.

'I need t' know who I'm dealin' with to do somethin' like that.'

''E's my husband.'

'Patience went an' got 'erself married?' Mal couldn't help but laugh. He looked back at Zoe, 'Seems she's havin' some marriage issues, maybe you're the one for this job.'

'My pleasure, sir.' Zoe grinned.

'Shut up, Mal. Take it or don't, just tell me now,' Patience hissed. Mal looked back and his grin wiped away as quickly as it had come.

'What makes you think I give a damn 'bout your personal problems?'

''E's got the power to take this moon from me,' Patience replied.

'That ain't much of a problem for me,' Mal said, 'actually, that may be just what I'm lookin' for. Who is this fellow, anyhow?'

'It's not just 'im. 'Is _chwen_ whore is helpin' 'im out. 'E's got the power and allies, she's got the brains. Together, they could rule every ruttin' place in this 'verse. They ain't a friendly bunch, neither; go 'round shootin' people who get on 'is nerves.' At that statement, Inara looked over at Mal and whispered something Patience could not here.

'Reminds me of some arrogant prick I know,' she said in a low voice. Mal smiled bitterly but did not look at Inara or reply with some classically witty remark.

Instead, he replied to Patience while smiling. 'It shocks me how low men can sink. Why, some people could call them heartless.' This time he looked at Inara and kept his grin plastered across his face. She shook her head.

'So are you in?' Patience asked, seeming to Mal to be rather impatient. How impatient of Patience. Mal laughed internally at himself for thinking that stupidly.

'As long as I get payed well and this remains just business,' Mal replied, 'no silly strikes for revenge afterwards?'

'Business is business, Mal. You'll get payed more than enough.'

'How can I trust I have your word?'

Patience trotted her horse slightly closer and shook Mal's hand firmly before giving him a small dose of the payment. 'I promise I won't try an' double cross you again,' she said, angry at herself for saying it. Mal raised his eyebrows. She rolled her eyes and sighed. 'And I won't try and gorram shoot you... again.'

Mal nodded a satisfied nod.

'Good, then we have an agreement.'


	5. The Flaw in the Plan

**Okay, it's not my longest chapter, but not my shortest either. I really hope you enjoy. :) Nobody has been reviewing this story recently, but I'm hoping I may get some more after this chapter. It's focus is mostly on business, as was the last chapter.**

**--- **

**Chapter 5 ****–****The ****Flaw in the Plan**

---

River watched as Norihiro shifted uncomfortably. 'You'll be okay, Nori,' she assured him, although she knew that wasn't why he was uncomfortable. Although everyone favoured the nickname Hero, she knew he didn't fancy it much and instead preferred Nori. 'You're gambling money with someone who is deceitful and you mustn't trust her like Mal so stupidly does,' she explained, 'but with the captain, you are safe. He'll be extra-protective with you _and _'Nara there.' She took hold of his hand.

Nori was slowly getting better. His emotional strength was incredible, really. River could only admire him.

Because he was capable of speaking properly and listening to orders, he'd offered to repay Mal by helping him out on this job. Mal wasn't sure if he was still entirely stable, but he trusted the kid to know his own mind and, like River, thought he had strong enough will power to decide what was best for himself.

'Why does everyone treat you like such a child? You can never go anywhere outside.' he said quietly. 'Back at 'ome,' he paused, thinking of old memories, 'back at 'ome I was the man o' the house the day my pa died. I was thirteen then.'

'I know,' River replied. 'That was very brave of you, too. But I'm afraid my older brother is far too protective over me to let me go anywhere, even if he's there supervising me. It's rather wearisome, really, because I am able to take care of myself.'

'Is he the one that made my injuries go away?'

'Yes, Simon is the doctor of _Serenity._'

'At least he cares for you.'

'But he just cares too much.'

'Well back at 'ome I didn't have anyone who cared for me, only people to care for.' River held his hand and sat beside him on the bed.

'You don't have to repay Mal, you know that. He would have taken you in anyway, just for the sake of being heroic and his sense of nobility.' River really didn't want her friend to go; she knew the people he would be dealing with were dangerous and unkind, even to children.

'It is a moral obligation of mine. 'E 'elped me, I 'elp 'im. Easy as that. Besides, I'm used to this sorta stuff. The only thin' that could stop me was my weakness 'nd sore muscles. I'm just afraid I'll get shot or somethin'.'

'Mal won't let anything harm you. He won't let anything harm anyone in this crew. Trust me.'

---

'There's no doubt one of us is gonna get shot or hurt.' Mal announced. 'If Patience is afraid of this man and his whore then we have reason to be, too. But the plan should work, unless something unexpected happens, which no doubt_ will_ happen, too.'

'There are so many flaws in that plan it's amazing,' Inara stated bluntly. Mal smiled at her.

'No point makin' a flawless plan, I've learnt, 'cause things never go smooth anyway.' Inara was going to argue that that was the worst and most illogical thing she'd ever heard, but Jayne interrupted her loudly like he always did.

'Do we have to kill the whore?' he whined.

'We ain't killin' nobody. We're deliverin' them to Patience so _she _can kill 'im,' Mal said. 'And you can't do nothin' to the whore, Patience wants them exactly how they are.'

'She wouldn't even notice!' protested Jayne.

'You're not having sex with the woman and that's final, Jayne,' Zoe snapped. Jayne sunk in his seat, crossed his arms and seemed to have some sort of silent tantrum.

'You think you can manage with him, Hero?' asked Kaylee thoughtfully. Norihiro looked up from his silence and spontaneously twitched violently before nodding awkwardly. 'You're awfully quiet today,' she observed.

'Silence is the key to success and I've got a lot to think about,' he replied simply. 'Besides, I'm not really interested in your conversations about sex.'

'Li'l kid's a virgin,' Jayne teased, suddenly cheery again to know that he could tease someone else. 'Seems you got yourself a buddy, Simon.' Kaylee went to protest, but Norihiro got to it first.

'Do you have a problem with that?' Norihiro retorted in a calm voice.

'You threatenin' me, kid?'

'Depends. You lookin' for a fight?'

'_Bizui_, both of you,' Mal ordered. Norihiro went back to his silence and Jayne to his tantrum. 'It's time to go.'

---

Inara knocked on the door lightly. She was wearing one of her best golden, orange and crimson gowns that fell gracefully to the floor. Her hair was done up and then fanned out so that it looked slightly wild yet still obedient, which was always a good image for a Companion.

'Come in,' called a deep man's voice. She knew it belonged to George Aykroyd, Patience's husband. Inara strolled in slowly to find an average enough room. Normally she would conduct her affairs in her own personal shuttle, but she couldn't risk him having access to any ships in case the plan went south, which it always did. Mr. Aykroyd was wearing a robe that probably had very little beneath it.

Smiling, Inara greeted him. 'When shall we begin?' she asked politely.

'I'll be right back, I just have to tell Ulanda,' he replied. Inara sat down and waited patiently for him to return from the door he'd left. The name "Ulanda" seemed oddly familiar, but she could not think where from. Forgetting about that, she applied the lipstick that would knock him unconscious the moment he touched her lips with his.

'Now, we may begin,' he said roughly. 'The bed's over here, hurry up. Got a busy day today.' She followed him into a smaller room that barely had space to walk in. It seemed Aykroyd was ruder than she'd originally imagined. It didn't take long for Inara to kiss him on the lips, she hadn't even gotten around to taking her clothes off before he lay on the bed unconscious. Gathering the sleeves of her dress back to their proper position she stood up and reapplied the lipstick. Her next step was to find the wife and do the same to her.

While she was reapplying her lipstick, she had a mint. 'Don't men _ever _brush their teeth?' she groaned.

---

While that was happening, Simon and Kaylee were busy in the horse stables. It was their job, their only job, to release the horses and any other forms of transport so that there was no way of escape for anyone. After that they'd run to the ship where Kaylee would check up on the engine and Simon get the infirmary prepared.

As Simon released three more horses, he stepped in horse poo. 'That's disgusting,' he moaned loudly.

'Don't be such a wuss, Simon,' Kaylee teased. 'Just a bit of muck. Next time you shouldn't wear such good shoes.'

'These are the only shoes I've got left. My others are ruined, stolen or even covered in cow poo.' Kaylee laughed.

'Maybe you shouldn't wear shoes, then. I'm just wearin' thongs.' Kaylee shrugged and grinned her ever so friendly grin. But Simon did not smile, instead he remained positively upset.

'Great, barefoot in horse poo. I think I'd rather wearing shoes,' he said, flustered.

'You don't gotta be all upset about it,' Kaylee mumbled.

'I'm covered in horse poo!'

'I s'pose that ain't appropriate for a proper doc' like yourself.' _Damn, she was bringing the "appropriate" thing up again._

After they'd done the rest of the job in silence, they met Hero and Jayne who'd just finished taking out all of the guards.

'Everything is shiny so far.' Kaylee reported.

'This man is too fancy fo' is own good,' Jayne said. 'What's he got to hide, anyway? With all these guards...'

'Have you got all their guns?' asked Norihiro, shaking dimly.

'Yeah... just 'bout,' he replied. They were taking the unconscious guards' guns from them in case they woke up and were placing them in a box from the cargo bay. Simon and Kaylee hauled the box up and went outside with it where _Serenity _was waiting for them. Wash smiled and waved before parking so that they could place the guns in the cargo bay. Once in there, Simon got the infirmary prepared in case anything should happen, which was almost sure to happen whatever it was, and Kaylee went to her engine room to check out how _Serenity_'s beating heart was going.

---

'Everyone shiny?' Mal asked Jayne and Norihiro. They nodded. Zoe, Mal, Jayne and Norihiro stood in the core of the building in which Aykroyd resided, waiting for Inara to come and report the good news. 'Now we wait to go and collect the bodies and deliver them to Patience.'

'And now we wait,' confirmed Zoe for no particular reason. They leaned against the wall.

After a good five minutes past, Mal and Zoe began to get worried. 'Where is that gorram woman?' demanded Jayne. Beside him Norihiro was still shivering despite the heat of the desert.

'Let's go,' Mal ordered. They walked down some halls and through some doors, finally making it to where they found Inara facing the opposite direction looking at someone shorter and more plump than her.

---

Inara found herself facing the back of Aykroyd's supposed whore. Tapping her shoulder, she almost fell backwards when she saw who it was.

'Saffron?' she stupidly said, confused. That was, before she heard someone call her name from behind her and saw a fist before her eyes rolled back and revealed nothing but darkness.

---

**IN THE NEXT CHAPTER: Does Mal get to play hero for Inara, the damsel in distress? **


	6. Plan B

**Chapter 6 – Plan B**

'Inara!_ Ta me de!_'cursed Mal. '_Juh shi shuh mo go dohng shee? _What are _you _doing here?' Now that Inara was lying on the floor unconscious and bleeding, Mal could properly see Saffron's face.

'Aren't you happy to see your wife, Malcom Reynolds?' she retorted. He put his hands on his hips. Vaguely, he noticed Hero was shivering more fiercely than ever.

'Let's not go there again,' he commanded. 'So you're the whore Patience was speakin' of?'

'Well, I would think so. You see, she doesn't know that her beloved husband got married, again. I'm his new wife.' She smiled and pointed a gun at Mal, who was pointing one at her. No one could shoot because either way Saffron and Mal would both get shot.

'And does he know that his beloved wife is married to half the ruttin' galaxy?' Zoe commented. She scowled but then grinned maliciously.

'Of course not. And I imagine he never will.'

'You gorram whore,' roared Patience who charged in from behind Saffron and shot her in the shoulder and then the leg. Right then, Hero fainted. Mal made Jayne haul him up and carry him outside, while Mal carried Inara. _Serenity_ was, as planned, waiting for them, but behind them were some of the men that Saffron had obviously called from the closest village. They were shooting and throwing things at Mal, Zoe, Inara, Jayne, Hero and Patience as they ran for their lives into the cargo bay of _Serenity._

'It _never _goes smooth,' Mal hissed. 

'We didn't think it was, sir,' Zoe reminded him.

'I was still hopin' we'd eventually get the job done.'

'There's always Plan B, sir.'

'Plan B? What Plan B?' Patience piped in.

'Don't know yet, we haven't made it.' Zoe said.

'Right,' Mal nodded. 'Now, Patience, explain what you were doin' there. I thought you was leavin' the job to us. You weren't plannin' to double cross us in the middle of the plan, were you?'

''Course not. I was jus' in the village where they got the alert signal from Alkroyd's whore. Thought I might pop in an' see what all the fuss was.' 

'Don't sound like somethin' you would do.'

'You obviously don't know you very well then, Malcom Reynolds.'

'I'm beginnin' to believe that theory, too.'

'Or perhaps you know her too well, sir,' Zoe cautiously suggested, making Patience glare at her angrily. This made Zoe trust her even less.

At that moment Simon rushed into the cargo bay where he loudly inquired, 'Who's hurt?'

'Why you always gotta assume someone got hurt on the job?' Mal asked. He cocked an eyebrow and looked at Mal as if he were stupid.

'What happened to 'Nara and Hero, Cap'n?' Kaylee said, worried right away.

''Nara was punched in the face, not that hard, and we don't know what 'appened to the virgin kid,' Jayne said, smirking at his own joke though no one else did.

'The pressure got to his heart,' River answered simply. Simon got Jayne and Mal to help him carry the two unconscious people to the infirmary.

'I hope they're all right,' Kaylee murmured. 'Who punched 'Nara?'

'Remember Saffron? Captain's wife?' Zoe said. Mal went to protest, but Kaylee interrupted him before he could even begin.

'Yeah... what was she doin' there punchin' people?'

''Parently she's married to Aykroyd.' Kaylee turned to the person who had answered her question, and realised that she hadn't noticed Patience the whole time.

'What are you doin' 'ere?' she asked bluntly, not bothering to be polite. She _had _tried to kill the captain twice.

'I just saved your captain's _shiang jing_,' she retorted. Kaylee slightly giggled despite herself.

'What's this about Mal's man parts?' Jayne asked curiously.

'Nothing. Patience has never and will _never_ have anything to do with my _shiang jing_!' By then everyone including Patience could not stop laughing. 

'What did I miss?' Wash called as he stared down at them from the catwalk. 'What's she doin' here? Didn't she try to shoot you twice, Mal?'

'And I succeeded once...' she murmured in reply.

'Hey now, she's payin' us,' Mal reminded them all. Patience turned to Mal and looked at him seriously.

'Actually, you didn't complete the job,' she said, 'which means no money for you.' Mal frowned.

'What about Plan B?' Everyone went silent and looked as the two watched each other, both with their arms crossed.

'Fine. You get a second chance.' Mal smiled and went up to the galley with her, Zoe and Jayne to discuss "Plan B". They got there to see Hero waiting patiently, eating some protein bars.

'Sir?' he shyly said. Mal nodded to show his acknowledgement. 'I don't want you to think me weak for falling before... It's just, these days I am struggling to remain calm and certain things like blood call upon haunting memories that I'd rather not remember.'

'I understand, but I think it would be best if you stayed here and just relaxed.' Mal tried to be kind, but he didn't want any kind of burdens during their next attempt at the job.

'No, Captain, I want to go,' he insisted, begging. 'I want you to trust me and I want to help you so that I don't feel so completely useless.'

'You're not completely useless!' Mal said, acting as if it were an offense to him to say such things. 'Okay, well, you don't do much – but I promised 'Nara and the Shepherd I'd let you stay here until you recover. I'm a man to stick to my word, and my word don't say nothin' 'bout you goin' out with me and doin jobs.' But Mal could see that Hero wanted to desperately. He sighed. 'Fine, if it means that much to you. Just try and stay with us next time.' Hero nodded vigorously, smiling widely, too.

'Thank you, Captain.' Mal half grinned and then turned to the crew to discuss what they'd come to discuss.

'Oi, virgin kid,' called Jayne. Norihiro rolled his eyes and turned on his heel.

'What is it, Jayne?'

'You really a virgin?'

'_Jayne! _Just get to the job,' Kaylee demanded. 'I'm goin' now.' She turned on her heel and went down the hall, while Jayne and Hero got ready for their part in the job: the distraction. First Jayne grabbed Veera, and shot multiple times into the roof. Hero reluctantly copied him. They waited no more than two seconds before being fully surrounded by guards. Jayne smiled and closed his eyes before turning in a complete circle, not taking his hand off Veera's trigger. 

Down the hall, to the left, hidden underneath a counter, Kaylee was doing her magic. The wiring and control systems were all too simple for her. 'Easy peasy,' Kaylee declared to no one, grinning widely at her own achievements. 'These border country wirings are so much easier to figure out than the central planets' ones.' She stood up and brushed herself down. Sneaking through the back door, she didn't run into anybody on her way out. It wasn't long before she'd walked down and a bit further into the desert to find _Serenity _waiting for her. Strolling to the infirmary, she found Simon working away like mad. 'Havin' fun, doc'?'

'Loads,' he replied vaguely, concentrating on the drugs he was creating.

'Done yet?'

'Just about.' He looked up and smiled. 'Yep, I'm finished. How is Hero going?'

'All shiny. They've managed to distract _everyone_. I hope they'll alright, though. Wouldn't want that li'l kid gettin' hurt.'

'Ah, you've completed the drugs?' Mal asked as he poked his head through the doorframe.

'Here you go,' Simon passed him the three small little plastic balls, 'I gave you one extra, just in case you run into anyone on your way.' He turned round and grabbed four gas masks. 'And here are these. Make sure you wear them, even if the plan works.'

'Shiny.' Mal thanked the doctor and then turned to his mechanic. 'You sure nothin' can be overwritten? We ain't gonna have some technical problems while you're not there?'

'Yep, Cap'n,' she said. 'Besides, if I'm wrong, it's not like you'll be able to get me in trouble.' Mal smiled tightly.

'Remember to remind Wash to pick us up when we give out the wave,' Mal ordered Simon. Simon nodded.

'Why won't he remember himself?'

''E's busy playin' with 'is dinosaurs.' Simon rolled his eyes and the mechanic giggled girlishly. 'I'll be back soon, hopefully.' The doctor wished him good luck and Kaylee simply waved. Mal collected Zoe and out they went, into Aykroyd's house where they found everyone in high alert. Nobody even noticed two armed yet unknown people shooting, though deliberately missing, the two intruders (Jayne and Hero). Jayne and Hero struggled through the lessening crowd, finally making it to where Zoe and Mal were standing. Then the four of them shot down the rest of the crowds, before going to the room in which Kaylee had trapped Saffron and Aykroyd in. They were yelling, demanding what all the shooting was about. The captain could hear the panic in poor Saffron's voice, and beamedat the sound of it.

'Honey, are you in there?' Mal called, referring to Saffron as "honey" for the first time. He heard silence for a minute and then Saffron replied.

'Yeah, I'm waitin' for you.'

'Who's that, Ulanda?' demanded Aykroyd stupidly. Mal laughed at the fact that she'd used the name Ulanda again.

'That's my husband, idiot. Now he's come to rescue me.'

'You're husband?'

'Shut up, George.'

'I thought you loved me!'

'I said _bizui_!'

'Would you two stop bickering?' shouted Mal. The shut up straight away. 'Now, my precious wife,' I've got a pleasant little present for you.' He crawled up to the air vent above the doorframe, opened it and looked through it. Saffron came up to him, hope in her eyes. He smiled maliciously. Lifting up his hand to reveal two gas bombs, Mal watched as Saffron made a priceless face that spoke of her shock and anger. Mal dropped the bombs into the small, cramped and locked room where Saffron and Aykroyd were in. He shut the air vent and, like Simon had said, put the gas mask on, just in case. 

'You can't kill me, Malcom Reynolds, I'm your WIFE!' Saffron desperately yelled.

'Don't be such a baby. It's just a bit o' sleepin' gas.' Mal chuckled and then turned to his friends and crew.

The two men, one boy and one woman wandered out of the house triumphantly, their jobs at last done. Although Norihiro could not suppress a wince when he heard Saffron and Aykroyd screaming for mercy, he still felt victorious and proud that he had finally overcome his fears and had not, after all, fainted. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up high, but he ignored them.

Outside Mal met Patience, to his surprise, standing in the cargo bay of _Serenity_, which was opened and ready for Mal's runaway if necessary. It was of course, not necessary, seen as they'd taken out all the guards. 'They're in the bedroom,' Mal told Patience, obviously talking about Saffron and Aykroyd. Patience smiled wolfishly.

'Good work, Malcom Reynolds.'

'Payment?'

'Patience, my dear.'

'Oh, I think we've had quite enough of patience.'

'Ha, ha, ha,' she sardonically retorted. 'Did you take any of the cargo from the house?'

'The only cargo I saw was in the main hall. Didn't think of takin' any, seen as it's probably just some junk he took from the poor villages.' Mal glared at Patience suspiciously. 'Why do you ask? Any valuables in there?'

'Well, I failed to mention that 'e stole every single bit o' my money. Which is why I was he got the people on 'is side instead o' mine.' Mal cocked an eyebrow.

'Is that so? I assume that's what you're plannin' on payin' us with, then?' 

'I s'pose so. First I want you to go an' collect Aykroyd and the whore. I'll kill 'em right 'ere and now.'

'I won't be havin' that on my boat, Patience. Do your business elsewhere, I'm not interested.' Mal went with Jayne and Norihiro to go and collect the unconscious bodies. Mal and Jayne carried Aykroyd, the heavy man, together, while Norihiro attempted at hauling up Saffron. He was far behind the two older men and nobody could even see him.

When the mercenary and the captain dumped the body outside, sweating like pigs, they found only Patience and about ten other men on horses behind her. 'See you got yourself your fan club again,' Mal commented. Patience nodded curtly and smirked. 'That's 'bout it, Hero'll be here in a minute to deliver the whore.' He put his hands on his hips and swayed gently in the soft, blazing hot breeze. Patience smiled tightly again. Mal looked at her suspiciously. She was up to something, and he already had an inkling as to what. He glanced at Jayne, who was acting like an idiot and scratching his head idiotically.

Patience sighed. 'Malcom Reynolds,' she paused. Mal realised how many times she'd said that in one day. 'You always were a sucker for heroic jobs.'

'It is one of my many downfalls, thank you for your observance.'

'Don't play games wi'me. You are so stupid. I thought you knew me, thought you'd not be so gullible so as to actually believe me when I shake your hand.' She pulled out her gun and Mal only just rolled away in time to miss her bullet. Jayne pulled out Veera and went psycho with it again, suddenly realising what the hell was going on. But there were too many and they'd pinned him and Mal down just in time. 'You know I don't like to give money away if I don't 'ave to,' continued Patience. 'And in this situation, I reckon that cargo inside is mine.' Patience trotted her horse over to left of Mal, directly in front of the door, while her men surrounded the two victims.

'Where's my ship?' demanded Mal. Patience shot Mal just for fun. Mal winced in agony. _That's the third time that bitch has shot or tried to shoot me. Why do I continue to trust her?_

'They flew off somewhere. Abandoned you, I s'pose. Don't blame 'em. If they got half a brain they'd know you're too much of an _chewn_ to be a good cap'n.' Mal knew his crew wouldn't abandon him without good reason, so he guessed Patience had threatened them or the like.

'Touching story, but I'm afraid that cargo with stolen money in it is rightfully ours,' Hero announced after he ran out of the door behind Patience, pulled her to the ground and used her as a shield while putting a pistol to her head. 'Don't shoot Jayne or Mal, or else she dies.' He lead his hostage towards Mal and straight away five men scampered off onto their horses and into the distance.

'Seems the moment trouble hits, your men abandon you,' Mal stated. 'How inconvenient, 'ey?' Right then, _Serenity _came crashing down from the sky, forcing the few men who were still holding Mal and Jayne down to jump off them and further away. The door to the cargo bay slowly lowered and revealed Zoe, Simon, Inara Shepherd Book and even River waiting for them patiently. Still clutching Patience closely, Norihiro took backwards steps into the ship. Jayne and Zoe shot anyone who attempted at entering. 

'You are so stupid, Mal,' Inara said before even greeting him. 'I knew you couldn't trust that _mei yong ma duh tse gu yong_.'

'A "I'm so glad you're alive" would have been more welcomin', you know,' Mal muttered.

As they lifted off and were safely hovering extremely close to the ground, Hero pushed Patience out of _Serenity. _Mal shook his hand and Zoe smiled at him proudly.

'That was real brave of you, son,' she remarked. 'I s'pose now you're the captains hero, ain't that right, sir?' Mal grunted something incoherently. River embraced Norihiro, kissing him on the cheek gently while Jayne whistled and laughed. Norihiro blushed and River looked at the floor.

'You ain't so bad, virgin kid.'


	7. Lost and Found

**a/n: Okay, seventh chapter up. Not many people are reading this, but I've decided to post it anyways ;).**

**Tell me if you want any improvements or changed in this story. I love critisism and advice. Although this story is actually already written, I can always change what happens in the future - depending on the opinions of my readers.**

**Feel free to comment on this chapter. I wasn't too sure about it. I'm a bit nervous about posting it actually, because it's a bit of a sudden change and too fluffy for my particular liking. And please inform me of any spelling errors, I will be glad to fix them up for you guys. **

**Oh, and one last thing...**

**THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO IS READING THIS STORY. you don't know how much it means to me! This is my first ever fanfic story, so I didn't expect it to be all that impressive. So, yeah, basically, thanks. :)**

**Chapter 7 – Lost and Found**

Everyone sat at the galley eating their protein meals for dinner. They were all in generally gleeful moods and were laughing hysterically about something that probably wasn't even that funny.

It turned out that, while Jayne and Mal were being shot by Patience, Zoe, Inara and Hero, whom they had run into trying to drag Saffron out, went and collected the stolen money and took it back to _Serenity. _Mal was so pleased despite the bullet wound in his forearm. He _not only _beat Saffron, but got payed for it, too. And the money they'd made was good, it would last them months. Exactly what they needed. Mal even made an effort not to yell or get upset at Inara all night, seen as he owed her a favour. As for Zoe, she was her usual modest self. She refused any extra payment, due to the fact that Mal had to get shot for their little stunt to work out.

Hero was beginning to be the title "hero" rather than the name – although Jayne insisted in calling him "virgin kid" and River kept quiet around the others, much to Hero's disliking. He enjoyed her company and she was his only _real _friend on _Serenity_; everyone else were just his companions or allies. That is, except for Jayne who remained "someone he knew and neglected".

After dinner, a toast dedicated just for him, Norihiro and River went down to River's bedroom (the infirmary was taken by Mal and Simon) and sat there in silence for a while. At last, Norihiro broke the silence, 'This ship is really nice. I always wanted to fly a ship when I was young. Of course, I imagined something a bit fancier than a Firefly, but I wouldn't have been able to afford anything.' He brushed his hand against the walls of the _Serenity _and gave it a small smile. 'So tell me, River, what is your background? I notice you and your brother don't exactly fit in here and the captain doesn't seem to get along much with the doctor... not that he really gets along with anyone, except maybe Zoe...'

'The captain and my brother are alike in many ways, but they do not believe it,' she said quietly, not really listening. She had her knees drawn up to her chest and wasn't even looking at Norihiro. 'Simon and I are from the central planets and we are fugitives from the Alliance. Mal lets us stay because he feels sorry for us, and he believes that running away is fun, especially when he is taunting the Alliance. It's rather childish actually.'

'Fugitives? I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that,' He gave a weak laugh, 'What did you do? Accidently spit in the general area of a fed?' River looked at him for the first time and giggled.

'A bit more drastic than that; but that is the popular idea,' River replied. She was struggling to remain stable from all the memories she was suppressing, but it seemed that Norihiro's mocking comments were helping her through. She itched a bit closer to him subconsciously and rested her head against his shoulder. As he remained stiff and awkward, River rolled her eyes. _He's so like Simon when it comes to girls._

'I know what you're thinking,' River told him simply. Forgetting his self-conscious attitude, he raised an eyebrow.

'Do you, now? That's a clever little trick of yours.' River nestled her head further into his shoulder, slightly leaning on his chest, and smiled. She could feel his heart thumping against his rib cage. _Damn, maybe he's more like Mal when it comes to girls..._

'You know, my sister's name was River,' Nori stated, trying to start conversation again. River laughed.

'You speak of the past but your mind speaks of the present,' River told him knowingly. He obviously didn't know how to react. 'Men are like teddy bears,' she observed jokingly. 'They are always in desperate needs of hugs. Do you find that?'

'What? That men are like teddy bears or that I always want a hug?'

'Don't worry.' River sighed. 'I know that you want to kiss me,' Nori went positively as hard as stone in his face, 'but last time my brother found me kissing a boy, he went crazy and told mum and dad. Gosh, he's such a boob.' River let her head fall onto his lap gracefully. She looked up at him from her lying position on her back and rolled her eyes.

'Sounds like a real... boob,' said Nori in an unnaturally high voice. River giggled girlishly. She lifted her head and cupped his cheeks in hers. He embraced her and they kissed, like River had been waiting for since she met him. Then Nori pulled away and asked curiously, 'How old are you again?' She grinned widely and pulled him to her again by his shirt. Then she hastily got up and brushed herself down before going to the door. Nori looked hurt.

'Someone is coming,' she whispered before she opened the door and walked down the hall.

The next day the captain confronted Norihiro. 'Hero, I've been, uh, thinkin' with the rest of the crew, and we decided you can stay on my boat for as long as you want,' he informed him. Hero gave him a serious look and seemed to be in thought.

'I thank you for your offer, captain,' he began what Mal knew was to be a refusal. 'But I couldn't. Not only did we originally plan for me to only be here until I recovered, which I have by the way, but this isn't the life for me. All my life I've lived on solid ground and have been happy, I think I would like it to stay that way.'

'Well, in that case, you can choose where to be dropped off.'

'The closest border planet there is. Central planets are too uptight and the like for me.' Mal smirked knowingly and patted him on the back with his good arm.

'You're my type o' bloke, Hero,' he told the younger man with honesty in his eyes. Something not everyone saw very often. 'But it is a pity you're leavin', we all enjoyed your company. I s'pose Jayne even did, in an odd twisted way. River 'specially did, though.' Mal winked. Hero did not bother to blush, and instead walked from the cargo bay into the infirmary where he found Simon and River. River was crying in the corner and Simon was soothing her. Norihiro had an urge to go in there and comfort the poor girl, but knew he shouldn't. He often saw her doing this, occasionally screaming, rocking or clutching her head, too. It struck his curiosity as to why, but he assumed it was something like a disorder or a past traumatisation similar to his. He agreed with himself it was too much to ask.

River seemed to stop in her crying and sit up from the counter in which she lay. Simon was plainly confused. She smiled and waved at Norihiro, who, puzzled like Simon, waved cautiously back. The doctor gave Nori a suspicious glance, but did not question his sister and her friend. 'River?' Simon said nervously. She turned to him. 'Have you taken your medicine?' he asked.

'Yes, of course I have.' She opened the door and locked her arm into Nori's before dragging him away. The only thing he could do was shrug at Simon's glares.

'You're brother cares for you very much,' he observed. River looked at him as if to say "don't go there". He was lead again to her bedroom and they sat down on the bed, River sitting on his lap, exhausted.

'He's so hard to live with,' she grumbled. Letting her head fall down and rest on his shoulder, she glanced at Nori who was noticeably more comfortable than the other day. She gave him a stern gaze. 'Why do you have to leave?' she whispered. River knew the answer perfectly well, she just wanted him to tell her the way he always did when explaining something.

'I want to start a new life. Begin fresh,' he began. 'On solid ground. This just isn't where I belong and I think you know that well.' She sighed.

'Then it's useless trying to persuade you to stay, even though you're my teddy bear?'

'Yeah, River, it is.' He laughed and hugged her. They remained embraced for a while.

Right then, while River sat on Nori's lap hugging him, the door swung open and revealed the mechanic and the doctor talking animatedly.


	8. Goodbyes

**Again, I don't really like this chapter... but, hey, it's your opinion that counts. Later on I'm probably going to go through this story and edit it, so that it flows a bit more consistently and has less grammatical errors. By the way, there IS an epilogue to this story!**

**Chapter 8 – Goodbye**

Simon stopped in his tracks. He was gripping Kaylee's hand rather harder than before. She cringed at his suddenly fierce hold. Kaylee looked at the two and smiled. River had no intentions of moving, instead stood her ground – technically she sat on his lap not stood on the ground; but it is just a figure of speech. If anything she hugged even closer.

'Aw, how sweet,' Kaylee said, looking at the doctor who was still holding her hand. 'Don't you think that's pretty?'

'River, what are you doing?' Simon asked in a forced kindness. His face seemed to be going purple by the minute. Kaylee noticed this and tried to take a step away from him, but his strong grip stopped her. River rolled her eyes and looked at her brother.

'What does it look like I'm doing, _chwen_?' Simon clenched his hands into fists, which forced Kaylee into more pain. He didn't know how to answer.

'_Ta me de, meimei...'_

'I'm doing the exact same thing you're doing,' River indicated to Simon's severe grip on Kaylee's hand. 'Although rather more gently.'

'He likes it rough,' Norihiro whispered into River's ear, making Simon go even more purple when River began giggling.

'I think it's cute,' Kaylee persisted. 'Young love, you know.'

'Thank you, Kaylee,' River said. Kaylee smiled despite the agony in her left hand.

'_I _don't think this is funny,' Simon retorted. River sighed and stood up.

'I'm not a child anymore, Simon,' she hissed before brushing roughly passed him and into the galley where she sat behind the counter and angrily cried.

The mechanic freed herself from Simon's awful grip and murmured, 'That was real smart, _huen dahn_.'

The next day they arrived at Norihiro's destination. Everybody but River stood in the cargo bay, even Simon who still hadn't forgiven him, in a line as they said their goodbyes to the "Hero". He shook hands with Mal, who said, 'This was the best place we could find. Maybe in a few years we'll do some of our work over here.' Norihiro nodded and they said their goodbyes.

Second was Zoe, as usual. She shook his hand and smiled at him. 'You did real well back in Whitefall, kid,' she told him. 'I'll miss havin' someone for Jayne to taunt 'round.'

'And I'll miss havin' someone to taunt around, too,' Jayne stated, as he was to the left of Zoe. 'See ya, virgin kid.'

Inara hugged him and wished him good luck, and Kaylee hugged him too but said that she hoped he kept in contact. 'I hope I do, too,' he said. 'I hope things between you and the doc' work out.' Kaylee smiled and nodded. Shepherd Book shook his hand and read him a verse from the bible, much to Mal's disagreement. After he'd done that, Nori thanked him for all that Book had done for him at the beginning. Unlike the rest of the crew, he knew it wasn't Inara who had originally thought of keeping him. Wash just patted him on the back and said something like 'it was a pleasure flyin' with you'.

Last was Simon, who reluctantly shook his hand and said goodbye. Then Kaylee, who had moved beside the doctor to make sure he did as she said, nudged him. He sighed. 'And I'm sorry for getting mad at you before, but I'm not used to seeing my sister with... boys.' It was obvious Simon had rehearsed the speech before, and Kaylee smiled satisfactorily. Norihiro laughed and assured him it was understandable, that he just loved his sister a lot.

When he went to collect his things by himself, Norihiro found River sitting on top of his suitcase, which really only contained artefacts he'd found during his travels as well as the money he'd been given by the rest of the crew. 'I'll be honest with you, you could have chosen a better disguise,' he told her. She smiled and jumped off like she always did. Strolling over to him, they embraced and stayed there longer than necessary.

'I told you my brother was a boob,' she whispered, miniature tears falling down her cheek occasionally.

'Nah, he's just a bit over-protective.'

'Which is a synonym for "boob". But I talked to him yesterday, and he promised me he was going to let me live my own life from now on. It was like saying goodbye to my child-self.'

Nori pulled away and grabbed his bag. They went out to the cargo bay again and found everyone waiting still. River and Nori, holding hands, walked out onto the dusty streets of the border planet and looked on the map Inara had made for them, depicting where they must go. They'd managed to get Nori some work and a place to stay for the first week. Following the directions on the map, the couple stayed silent. When they reached the door, River pecked him on the cheek, still teary, and he whispered, 'Maybe we'll meet again, River.' She looked doubtful.

'I'll miss you, teddy bear.'

THE END (of course, there is still an epilogue!)


	9. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

--

River wandered down the familiar dusty streets. So much had happened since she was last here... and that wasn't including the death of Wash and Shepherd Book. She wondered how she would tell poor Norihiro.

Knocking on the door lightly, she was greeted by a woman about the same age of her. 'Hello,' River greeted her. The woman grunted some sort of greeting. 'I'm looking for Norihiro, is he available?' She grunted again, but this time it was saying something like "yeah". River smiled sweetly and waited. Norihiro, much older than he was before, seemed surprised that someone was asking for him.

'Who is it?' he called.

'If you're busy, I can come back later,' River said. Norihiro almost jumped at the sound of her voice. In the background, River could hear kids yelling and running around. Nori shut the door behind him as he lead River down the dusty streets in silence. They came to a beach that was dirty and brown. 'I didn't know there were beaches on the planets other than Earth-That-Was,' River stated.

'It ain't real,' Nori explained, although she knew this is not what he wanted to talk about. River could still hear the wrong accent in his voice. 'What are you doin' here, River? It's been ages.' She looked at her feet, the full weight of the past bearing down on her. The two sat on the sand beside each other.

'Nori, a lot has been happening. We only came here because we're on the run from the feds.' River then explained how the clip from Miranda that they'd screened all throughout the 'verse was from the crew of _Serenity_, and of the loss of Wash and Book. She began to cry, and he let her lean on him in her sorrow.

'River, I don't know if you haven't already realised, but I'm married now. Got me own children, too,' he told her. She nodded, although she thought him a bit young to be having children.

'I know.'

'So you understand why I can't give you lotsa affection, right?'

'Yeah, I know.'

'Okay. But we're still friends, right?'

'You'll always be my teddy bear.'

--

**A/N: ok, this story is pretty crap, so i think im gonna go back and edit it/change it... etc. but yeah, i'd still appreciate if you could read it & review it.**


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